GBoard is capable of a lot more things than just tying the old-fashion way. It has tricks that will help you type faster and customize your keyboard. If you dig a little deeper, Gboard also has features that make typing easier (among other features).
Emoji lovers should also give Gboard a try since it has a large variety of emojis and GIFs. How can you access all of these useful features? Some of these features may have been starring you in the face all this time.
The Fastest Way to Capitalize Words
You may be currently capitalizing words by pressing the caps button and then the first letter of the word. But, Gboard has a faster way for you to do that. Press the caps and slide your finger towards the letter you want to capitalize.
Use the One-handed Gboard
If your phone spends most of its time in one hand, it’s possible to move the keyboard to one side of your display. Tap on the hand icon that seems to be holding on to something.
As soon as you tap on this option, the keyboard will move to the right. If you’re left-handed, tap on the arrow on the side of the keyboard, and the keyboard will switch sides.
Translate Text Instantly
If you’re learning a new language, this translation feature will come in handy. The option won’t be visible, so you’ll need to tap on the three dots and choose the translation option. To switch languages, tap on the arrow pointing down and select your new languages. Follow the same steps for the second language.
By tapping on the arrows that are on top of each other, Gboard will swap the languages. If this is going to be an option you’re going to use a lot, you can long-press on the translate option and slide it to another position for easier access.
Customize Gboard’s Theme
A keyboard is always better when you can add your own personal touch to it. Gboard gives you the option to either add a solid or a background. It’s possible to access this option by opening the Gboard app or tapping on the painter’s palette icon.
Once you’re in themes, the app offers various theme options such as colors, landscapes, light gradient, dark gradient, and my themes. If you’re not happy with the options, click on the show more option to look at more options.
Type Without Touching the Keyboard
If you don’t feel like typing, that fine. Tap on the microphone icon in the keyboard’s upper right-hand corner and talk away. The voice to text feature is very accurate, and it gets better every time you use it.
How to Erase Various Words in Gboard Simultaneously
You don’t have to waste time erasing letter by letter until you delete the whole word. Drag your finger from the backspace towards the left and keep dragging until the words you want to erase are selected. When the words you want to erase are chosen, lift your fingers, and the words will be deleted.
Easily Add and Switch Keyboard Languages
You don’t always have to type in English. By tapping on the three dots and going to Settings, you can add various languages to your keyboard.
In Settings, choose Languages. Tap on the blue Add Keyboard button and select your language. You can swipe until you find the language you’re looking for, or you can use the search option at the top.
Once you’ve found the language, choose is you want that keyboard to be QWERTY, QWERTZ, or any of the other available option. Tap on the Done option and try out your new language.
Turn the Spacebar Into a Trackpad
Don’t you just hate it when you just can’t the cursor in between two characters? Instead of wasting time trying to press just the right spot, you can use the spacebar as a trackpad. Slide your finger across the spacebar back and forth until the cursor is in the place you want it to be. It may take a few tried before you get the hang of it.
Slide to Type
Forget about typing out words by tapping a letter by letter. It might feel weird at first, and you may even misspell words, but with some practice, you’ll get the hang out it in no time. All you have to do is slide your finger to each of the letters without lifting your finger.
Conclusion
Gboard is one complete keyboard with quite a few useful features. Once you know how to use the features that are not in plain sight, you may wonder how you ever did without it. Did I miss your favorite tip? Share it with me in the comments.
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